February 15, 2005

Guess this time there's actually smoke with the fire

[Warning: Link not safe for workplace viewing]
Looks like the blogger-led kerfuffle over Jeff Gannon's [try this .pdf link if the server is busy]presence in the White House briefing room has a basis in fact. Apparently, a man who had no trouble gaining daily access to the White House has a recent past that includes involvement with gay on-line porn and, apparently, male prostitution. And to think, this from a White House bent on forcing Fundamentalist Christian beliefs on all of us.

February 08, 2005

Here's a first...

My local Sprint store has instituted a new restaurant-like waiting list, complete with a host standing at a podium with a clipboard to manage its customer service demands. He takes my name, and then I guess I'm just suppose to stand around and wait to be called.




I am fifth in line, and it's 4 in the afternoon. There are three clerks working, and someone who looks like a manager milling about. Here's an idea: why not just schedule more staff so customers can simply stand in line for the next available clerk? Better yet, why not have a dedicated register just for people who want to buy or return a retail item (such as yours truly) - and not signup for cell phone service (a time-consuming task) or talk to a technician to solve a problem? What makes them think this system makes any sense for a person who has stopped in to make a retail purchase (it is a Sprint STORE, after all!)? Maybe it's just their way of encouraging customers to use their web site to make purchases. If they don't drive them away to other service providers, that is.

February 02, 2005

The New Functionalism

According to Iowa Republican representative Steve King, sex has two purposes: procreation and recreation. He's using this to argue that the new Medicare prescription drug coverage should not cover ED treatments, calling them "sex enhancing drugs." Such narrow thinking about the function of sex is to be expected from someone who hasn't fully grapsed that it is 2005, not 1955, let alone how some religions view sex. Further, it sounds like the Congressman is confusing Viagra with lotions or other paraphernalia. Would someone please explain to him the difference between a legitimate medical condition and a need to impress one's partner?